The United States has rejected the idea of a permanent Israeli military presence in Lebanon, hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain in a so-called security zone in the country’s south.
A US State Department official told Al Arabiya English that Washington expects all parties to comply with the framework agreed between Lebanon and Israel.
“The United States expects all parties to act in a manner consistent with the Framework they agreed to, and Israel clearly stated that it has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon,” the official said.
The comments came after Katz said during a visit to southern Lebanon on Monday that Israeli forces were “here to stay.”
“As the prime minister and I have made unequivocally clear, we are not withdrawing from this security zone,” Katz said.
US says permanent presence violates framework
The US-brokered ceasefire framework calls for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the disarmament of Iran-backed Hezbollah.
“A permanent military presence in South Lebanon is not consistent with the commitments made in the Framework, or the long-term peace and security of both states,” the State Department official said.
Washington also reaffirmed its support for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Under the framework, Israel’s withdrawal is linked to a conditions-based process involving the progressive redeployment of Israeli forces alongside verified disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantling of its military infrastructure.
US officials have previously referred to the possibility of “redeployment” while discussing the conditions surrounding an Israeli withdrawal.
Israel and Lebanon remain divided
Israel has repeatedly accused the Lebanese Armed Forces of failing to do enough to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.
Beirut, meanwhile, has argued that continued Israeli military operations and the presence of Israeli forces on Lebanese territory make it more difficult for Lebanon to establish full state control.
Pilot zones have recently been established in southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese Armed Forces taking control of areas previously occupied by Israeli forces or Hezbollah.
“The Lebanese Armed Forces are implementing the first pilot zones, and the United States will continue to support full implementation of that process,” the State Department official said.
Washington pushes for framework implementation
The dispute comes as Washington attempts to advance the broader Lebanon-Israel framework through direct talks between the two sides.
US officials have described recent technical discussions as constructive but acknowledged that major political and security obstacles remain.
Washington has sought to link Israeli redeployment to measurable progress by the Lebanese Armed Forces in establishing state authority and dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure.
At the same time, the US position makes clear that Washington does not support an open-ended Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon, even as it presses for security conditions that would allow Israeli forces to withdraw.
